Upskilling Human Capital

Part of being effective human capital is utilizing 21st-century skills to their advantage. Foundational literacies pertain to the use of fundamental abilities by students in their daily activities, whereas competencies pertain to how students tackle intricate problems. Furthermore, the manner in which students navigate their evolving surroundings is influenced by their character traits. Each company then identifies the skills that they would need to satisfy their company’s needs. World Economic Forum (n.d.) describes the three facets of 21st-century skills that lead us to lifelong learning. Foundational literacies encompass the use of fundamental abilities by students in their daily activities. The acquisition of these skills is the foundation upon which students must develop more sophisticated and equally significant competencies and character attributes. This group encompasses not only the universally evaluated abilities of reading and mathematics but also scientific knowledge and proficiency in information and communication technology. In the context of education, competencies pertain to how pupils tackle intricate issues. Moreover, character traits elucidate how students navigate their evolving surroundings.

I would say that foundational literacies are learned from early childhood until adolescence, as these are the basic mathematical, literary, and scientific knowledge that each person must have a grasp of. After mastering these basic core skills, only then can a student start to apply critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. On top of that, it is the character qualities developed that help a student approach the application of both sets of competencies and literacies.

With that said, it is of concern that a study conducted by Harry Patrinos, the Senior Adviser for Education at the World Bank, has brought attention to the correlation between the duration of school closures and the extent of learning loss. Every week of school closure decreases 1 percent of learning levels–20 weeks of closure would lead to almost losing a year of knowledge and retention (Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2024).

The study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the retention of students’ knowledge, which can be attributed to foundational literacies. Following the previous article, if children are unable to have quality education, it would also severely affect the efficiency and innovativeness of the human capital and workforce. The same study conducted by Patrinos provides that long-term losses of this issue include reduced future earnings and competent development of human resources. At this point, it is the less fortunate and the younger generation who will likely be most affected by school closures and learning losses, putting them at a further disadvantage.

At this point, it is important to recognize that quality education has become a privilege rather than it being a right. On a personal note, I was able to hone my literacy and numeracy skills because I was privileged enough to be sent to school and supported by my parents. I also had the luxury of time to pursue interests like my hobbies and volunteering for student organizational work. These academic endeavors, along with extracurricular activities, allowed me to hone my skills in foundational literacies and competencies. It is where I also developed my character personally and professionally.

But, the same cannot be said for students who are struggling to even complete their basic education. While these skills can truly be said to pave the way for lifelong learning and help them be effective human resources later on, it is essential to build a strong foundation for them first. This lesson made me realize that a good number of the opportunities I was able to firsthand experience were due to my privileges and standing in life. For people like me, it is good to first acknowledge that we have the privilege to access education and pursue our interests. Only then can we see the flaws–this should not be the case, as education is a basic right of every human being. These young and underprivileged students should not be struggling to live life as is. Hence, being open to these realities must be our stepping stone to pursuing endeavors that would later on help the Philippines, and the world, to be education-centric and training-centric.

#InquiryAnalysisReflection #COBIBMO

Sophia Isabel S. Cauilan

Topic: Human Capital and Cultural Dimensions